Collapsible seat



Oct. 30, 1962 R. GRosFlLLl-:x

coLLAPsIBLE SEAT Filed NOV. 25. 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 30, 1962 R. GRosr-'ILLEX coLLAPsIBLE 'SEAT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 25. 1959 Oct. 30, 1962 R. GRosFlLLEX coLLAPsIBLE 'SEAT 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 25. 1959 3,061,374 COLLAPSEIBLE SEAT Raymond Grosiillex, Arbent, France, assignor to Socit responsabilit limite dite: Groslillex Freres, Arbent (Ain), France, a society of France Filed Nov. 25, 1959, Ser. No. 855,363 Claims priority, application France Nov. 25', 1958 4 Claims. (Cl. 297-440) This invention relates to the construction of collapsible seats, such as chairs, armchairs and the like, of the type comprising a usually metallic tubular frame structure, an a seating section removably or collapsibly connected therewith.

It is an object of this invention to provide collapsible seats adapted to be very easily and quickly disassembled and reassembled without requiring the use of any separate connecting means, sturdy, comfortable, lightweight and attractive.

According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a collapsible seat comprising a supporting frame, a unitary element of substantially flexible and/or resilient material including a seating section, and peripheral engaging means formed integrally with the periphery of the element and extending at least along spaced portions of States Patent such periphery and removably, clampingly engageable with 'l corresponding portions of the frame for collapsibly supporting the element upon the frame with the seating section in a position to be sat upon by a user.

According to another aspect there is provided a collapsible seat comprising a supporting frame comprising structural frame members of rounded cross section, e.g. metallic tubing, a unitary element of substantially e'xible material including a seating section, and engaging means formed integrally with the periphery of the element and extending at least along spaced portions of said periphery which means dene trough-like, or longitudinally-slotted tubular formations, of substantial resiliency, clampingly engageable around corresponding portions of said frame members for collapsibly supporting said element on the frame with the seating section in a position to be sat upon by .a user. A

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGS. l, 2 and 3 relate to a rst embodiment, FIG. l being a small-scale perspective view of the chair,` FIG. 2 being a front view of the flexible element in flattened-out condition, and FIG. 3 a corresponding side view;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment;

FIGS. 5 and 6 relate to a third modied embodiment, FIG. 5 being a perspective view with the -frame and seat sections separated, and FIG. 6 being a side view of the chair in assembled condition.

A rst embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, as a chair comprised of a metal supporting frame section and a seating section. The seating section comprises a sheet 1 of plastic material of relatively flexible character such as polyethylene, moulded -or injectionmoulded and coated with any desired ornamental pattern such as the caned pattern shown at FIG. 2. 'I'he plastic sheet is formed around its periphery with a marginal flange means in the form of longitudinally slotted tubular parts 3, wherein the longitudinal slots such as 3a are dip 3,061,374 Patented ocr. 3o, 1962 ICC rected downwardly in the assembled condition of the chair. Each such slotted tube part thus denes a resilient clamp whereby the seat can be instantly and removably mounted upon the generally conventional frame 4 preferably formed of metal tubing around which the slotted tubular flanges 3 are adapted to be clamped.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the plastic sheet 1 comprises a rst portion 1a adapted to form the seat of the chair proper and a portion 1b adapted to form the back of the chair. Each portion is, as shown, provided with its slotted tubular clamping means as described above, and the two portions are connected by way of an intermediate connecting portion 1c in which the said slotted tubular means are omitted so as to provide flat edges 3b facilitating the bending of the sheet 1 in the mounted condition of the chair. Moreover, in order to prevent the anges of the slotted tubular edges from gaping adjacent the connection with the legs of the frame section, such edges are formed with cutouts such as 3c in areas corresponding to such connections.

A exible seating section thus constructed can be very quickly and easily mounted on a metal tubular chair frame, thereby to provide a chair as shown in FIG. l. For this purpose, the slotted tubular means 3 of the seat and back portions 4of the plastic sheet 1 are applied against the corresponding elements of the frame 4, which includes the seat supporting frame part 4a and the backsupporting frame part 4b respectively, and the'said re' silient slotted tubular edges are forced around the 'correa' sponding parts ofthe metal frame so that the slotted tubular anges are resiliently clamped around these corre sponding parts of the frame. As previously noted 'the sides of the sheet 1 in the connecting part betweenthe seat and back portions are free from the slotted tubular formations as shown at 3b. Moreover, cutouts such asA 3c are formed in the anges of the tubular formations in those areas corresponding to the positions of the legs 4c of the supporting frame, thereby to prevent gaping as would otherwise tend to occur. In this manner the llexible plastic sheet is easily and quickly stretched over the frame to provide a sturdy, comfortable and attractive chair;

To collapse the chair the sheet 1 need simply be pulled upwards and forwards in order to pull it 0E from the frame 4. Y

AA further advantage of this construction is that the chair frames and the plastic sheets may yfor example b'e delivered separately, the sheets -may easily be replaced when damaged without having to replace the entire article, and may more easily be matched as to colour and pattern to suit the taste of individualv customers and changes in fashion.

A further form of the invention is shown in FIG. 4, as' comprising a frame section 5 and a seat section 6. The frame 5 is made of press shaped welded metal tubing to provide a generally horizontal frame 5a supported on the legs 5b and a pair of relatively short rear uprights 5c upstandin-g from the rear of the seat. The seat 6 is a concave element of semi-rigid plastic material formedV as an integral moulding and having integral upstanding wingshaped side flanges 6a sloping downwardly as shown.

Formed integrally with the seat at the front edge of it are a pair of spaced engaging elements 6c in the form oflongitudinally slotted tubular formations with their slots directed downwardly so as to be resiliently engageable over and around the front upper cross member 5d of theframe. Further, at each side and at the rear of the seat, along `the rear ends of the side wings 6a, are similar slotted tubular means 6e adapted to engage the respective uprights 5c of the frame.

The procedure for assembling and disassembling the chair in this embodiment will be self-evident, and it will again be noted that the disassembling operation is simply effected by pulling the plastic element 6 upward and forward off the metal frame, in order to disengage the elements 6c from 'the front crosspiece of the frame and the elements 6e from the frame uprights.

The embodiment just described is especially advantageous in that the metal frame therein is especially small, lightweight, and inexpensive to construct, and the freely resilient backrest makes for special comfort. Further, a variety of attractive shapes can be imparted to the chair.

In the further modification shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, there is provided an armchair comprising a metal tubular frame 7 and a plastic seat or top section 8. The frame is comprised of inwardly-arched metal tubes 7a, 7a', 7b, 7b' forming the legs of the armchair and the two cross members 7c and 7c interconnecting the legs at their intermediate points of maximum curvature as shown, the two members 7c and 7c' being inwardly arched into contact engagement and welded together at their centers. The leg tubes are extended upwardly in their diverging upper parts and their upper ends support a generally circular hoop 7d of similar metal tubing welded thereto. It will be noted especially from FIG. 6 that the rear legs 7b and 7b extend upwardly to a substantially greater height than do the fore legs 7a and 7a', so that the hoop 7d is supported in a forwardly slanting position as shown.

The seating section 8 in this embodiment is preferably made of an integrally moulded semi-rigid plastic material and is of cup-shaped form. In .this embodiment there is provided a substantially continuous trough-like or slotted tubular formation 8a around the periphery of the cupshaped plastic element, engageable with the hoop member 7d in a manner that may be similar generally to what was described for the previous embodiments. In this case however the cross section of the trough-like, or slotted tubular peripheral flange may if desired be made somewhat larger than the cross section of the metal tubing from which hoop 7d is made so that the plastic seating element may then be simply dropped into position over the hoop. This is here possible because of the absence of any vertical portions in contrast with the earlier embodiments.

If desired, matters may be so arranged that the periphery 7a of the seating element can be displaced a limited arc around the frame hoop 7d after it has been engaged therewith and to be then resiliently latched in its displaced position.

In all cases, in this as in the other embodiments discussed it will be noted that the attachment between the frame and the seating section is extremely stable since as previously noted the plastic seating element can only be pulled away by applying thereto an upwardly and/or forwardly directed force, whereas the load in normal use of the seat is directed downwards thereby applying the slotted tubular portions into firm engagement with the metallic tubing. Moreover in the absence of anyone seated in the chair the outer lip or flange of the slotted tube portion may act as a stop preventing slipping and lateral displacement of the seat element.

In most cases the peripheral trough-like or slotted means such as 8a in FIGS. 5 and 6 would be made from plastic of greater rigidity e.g. thicker, than the remainder of the seat element.

Referring especially to the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, the cup-shaped seating element and the absence of any securing means elsewhere than around the periphery of the element increase the capacity for resilient deformation and make for great sitting ease and comfort.

If desired the seating element may be made extremely lightweight by constructing it in the form shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, wherein it includes a central circular piece 8b and a peripheral slotted tubular hoop 8a, interconnected by a multiplicity of intercrossed generally radial strips such as 8c, preferably curved or spiral shaped in order to impart some rigidity to the element. An element of this kind can conveniently be constructed by injection moulding as a continuous process by starting the injection or extrusion at a point positioned at the centre of the centre piece 8b, and proceeding outwards. A plurality of cupshaped elements of the type shown in FIG. 5 can be easily stacked in internesting relation for storage and transport.

It will be clear that a great many changes may be made in each of the modifications illustrated, and especially as concerns the modification of FIGS. 5 and 6, the hoop member of the metal frame and the plastic seating element may be other than circular, e.g. oval, or triangular or square with `rounded angles. Various other modifications will suggest themselves, including changes of a more or less ornamental character and such changes do not affect the invention as defined in the ensuing claims.

I claim:

l. A seating structure comprising a frame of circular cross-section metal tubing having a rigid seat support portion including frame members along the sides and front thereof, and a one-piece seat defining portion of resilient plastic material which is relatively flexible over substantially its entire extent and has integral, longitudinally split, resilient but relatively rigid tubular clamping means disposed adjacent the periphery thereof and engaging more than half-way around the metal tubing of said frame members for securing said seat defining portion to said frame and for transmitting seating loads to the latter.

2. A seating structure as in claim l; wherein said frame further has leg members depending from said frame members, and said tubular clamping means is defined by a continuous, longitudinally split tube integrally formed with said seat defining portion along the periphery of the latter, said tube having transverse notches therein at the locations of said leg members to permit the latter to project out of said tube.

3. A seating structure comprising a rigid frame having a seat support portion and a back support portion lying in planes substantially at right angles to each other and consisting of a continuous metal tube extending along the front and side edges of said seat support portion and along the side and top edges of said back support portion, and a one-piece normally flat upholstery member of resiliently flexible plastic material having seat and back defining portions which are relatively flexible over substantially their entire extents and integral, longitudinally Split resilient but relatively rigid tubular clamping means extending along substantially the entire periphery of said upholstery member and engaging more than halfway around said continuous metal tube along said front and side edges of the seat support portion and along said side and top edges of the back support portion for securing said upholstery member to said frame and transferring 'body loads to the latter.

4. A seating structure comprising a rigid frame having a seat support portion and a back support portion lying in planes substantially at right angles to each other and being formed by a continuous metal tube extending along the front and sides of said seat support portion and along the sides and top of said back support portion, and a onepiece, normally flat upholstery member of flexible plastic material having seat and back defining portions and two continuous longitudinally slotted tubes extending along and integral with the sides and front of said seat defining portion and along the sides and top of said back defining portion, respectively, said slotted tubes engaging around said metal tube of the frame, and the ends of said tubes being spaced from each other to facilitate bending of the normally at upholstery member between said seat and back defining portions so as t0 conform to said planes of said seat and back support portions of ythe frame.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Schmidt Oct. 20, 1953 Towns Feb. 16, 1954 Eames Mar. 20, 1956 Hauser Apr. 16, 1957 Bargen Oct. 8, 1957 Bloom Mar. 29,- 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS France Dec. 22, 1931 Germany Oct. 18, 1954 Austria Mar. 10, 1958 

